Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, including a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode. The conditioner includes multiple plate structures arranged in a vertical orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures. Each plate structure includes a passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow. Each plate structure also has at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant can flow. The system includes a regenerator connected to the conditioner for causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream.

Abstract: A system for providing cooling to a building includes a cooling tower for transferring waste heat from the building to the atmosphere and a liquid desiccant system for dehumidifying an air stream entering the cooling tower to increase cooling efficiency of the cooling tower. The liquid desiccant system includes a conditioner and a regenerator. The conditioner utilizes a liquid desiccant for dehumidifying the air stream entering the cooling tower. The regenerator is connected to the conditioner for receiving dilute liquid desiccant from the conditioner, concentrating the dilute liquid desiccant using waste heat from the building, and returning concentrated liquid desiccant to the conditioner.

Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, including a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode. The conditioner includes multiple plate structures arranged in a vertical orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures. Each plate structure includes a passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow. Each plate structure also has at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant can flow. The system includes a regenerator connected to the conditioner for causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream.

Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space includes a conditioner having structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation with an air stream gap between adjacent structures. An air stream flows through the air stream gaps and is exposed to the liquid desiccant and dehumidified when in some of the flow paths and exposed to water and humidified when in other flow paths. Each structure further includes a separate collector at a lower end of the at least one surface of that structure for collecting the liquid desiccant or water that has flowed across the at least one surface of the structure. The system also includes a diverter for diverting a portion of the air stream that has been dehumidified to a flow path where it is exposed to water where it absorbs a portion of the water and is thereby cooled.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, include the steps of: (a) providing two plates configured to be assembled together, each of the plates comprising a support layer and a cap layer laminated over the support layer at least at a front side of the plate; (b) heat bonding a microporous membrane layer to one or more select portions of the cap layer on the front side of each plate such that a liquid desiccant channel is formed between the membrane layer and the front side of each plate; and (c) attaching the front sides of the plates together to form a plate pair structure by heat bonding one or more select portions of the cap layers on the front sides of the plates such that the membrane layers on the plates face each other and an air flow channel is formed between the membrane layers.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a plurality of liquid desiccant in-ceiling units, each installed in a building for treating air in a space in the building. Dedicated outside air systems (DOAS) for providing a stream of treated outside air to the building are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for providing cooling to a building includes a cooling tower for transferring waste heat from the building to the atmosphere and a liquid desiccant system for dehumidifying an air stream entering the cooling tower to increase cooling efficiency of the cooling tower. The liquid desiccant system includes a conditioner and a regenerator. The conditioner utilizes a liquid desiccant for dehumidifying the air stream entering the cooling tower. The regenerator is connected to the conditioner for receiving dilute liquid desiccant from the conditioner, concentrating the dilute liquid desiccant using waste heat from the building, and returning concentrated liquid desiccant to the conditioner.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a plurality of liquid desiccant in-ceiling units, each installed in a building for treating air in a space in the building. Dedicated outside air systems (DOAS) for providing a stream of treated outside air to the building are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for air conditioning, capturing combustion contaminants, desalination, and other processes using liquid desiccants.

Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space includes a conditioner, an air treatment unit, and a regenerator. The air treatment unit acts as an evaporative chiller in a warm weather operation mode to cool heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner. The evaporative chiller receives at least a portion of a dehumidified air stream exiting the conditioner and heat transfer fluid from the conditioner, and causes the portion of the dehumidified air stream to absorb water from a water source and thereby cool the heat transfer fluid. The regenerator receives liquid desiccant from the conditioner and absorbs water from the liquid desiccant.

Abstract: A split liquid desiccant air conditioning system is disclosed for treating an air stream flowing into a space in a building. The split liquid desiccant air-conditioning system is switchable between operating in a warm weather operation mode wherein the system provides cooling and dehumidification, and a cold weather operation mode wherein the system provides heating and humidification, as well as into a mode wherein the system provides heated, dehumidified air to a space.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for air conditioning, capturing combustion contaminants, desalination, and other processes using liquid desiccants.

Abstract: Disclosed are various turbulent, corrosion-resistant heat exchangers used in desiccant air conditioning systems.

Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system for cooling an air stream entering a building space includes a conditioner and a regenerator. The conditioner includes structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation that are spaced apart from each other with an air stream gap between each pair of adjacent structures. Each structure has a surface facing an air stream gap across which a liquid desiccant can flow. The air stream flows through the air stream gaps between the structures such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream. Each structure further includes a separate desiccant collector at a lower end of the surface for collecting liquid desiccant that has flowed across the surface of the structure. The desiccant collectors are spaced apart from each other to permit airflow therebetween. A photovoltaic-thermal module heats a heat transfer fluid used to heat the liquid desiccant in the regenerator.

Abstract: Turbulent, corrosion resistant heat exchangers are disclosed for use in air conditioning systems.

Abstract: A solar energy module includes a photovoltaic unit including a layer of one or more solar cells. The layer has a front side exposed to incident radiation and an opposite back side. The solar energy module also includes a thermal unit thermally coupled to the back side of the layer of one or more solar cells. The thermal unit includes one or more channels through which a thermal transfer fluid flows, wherein a portion of the incident radiation is converted into electricity by the layer of one or more solar cells and a portion of the incident radiation is simultaneously converted to heat for increasing the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid. The solar energy module also includes a heating system to further increase the temperature of the thermal transfer fluid. The heating system is powered by electricity generated by the one or more solar cells.

Abstract: Disclosed are various turbulent, corrosion-resistant heat exchangers used in desiccant air conditioning systems.

Abstract: Disclosed are various turbulent, corrosion-resistant heat exchangers used in desiccant air conditioning systems.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for air conditioning, capturing combustion contaminants, desalination, and other processes using liquid desiccants.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for air conditioning, capturing combustion contaminants, desalination, and other processes using liquid desiccants.